Character actor who built up a hefty resume of over 200 movies, including silents and talkies, even directing a few. He
found a comfortable niche in broad, vivid comedy roles, especially that of the
bumbling, bungling, not particularly bright detective (in
Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) he even played an actor playing a bumbling, bungling, not particularly bright detective!). He livened up everything from
The Three Stooges two-reel shorts to "The Green Archer" and "Superman" serials. He
even inspired cartoon characters.